Rugby: Collier confident Lions can stave off relegation (From Bournemouth Echo)

Rugby: Collier confident Lions can stave off relegation

7:00am Monday 11th March 2013 in Sport By Andy Mitchell

PLAYER-coach Tim Collier insisted Bournemouth would “definitely” survive in National Two South after Lions had battled to a crucial 35-26 win over Clifton.

The Chapel Gate outfit ended their seven-match losing streak after twice coming from behind to complete their first league double of the season over the Bristol-based club.

The maximum haul of five league points could not have been better timed as relegation rivals Southend and Lydney both won, meaning defeat would have pushed Lions into the bottom two.

And Collier is adamant Lions can kick on in the coming weeks – as long as they maintain their professional standards.

The veteran second row told the Daily Echo: “We will definitely do it, I have no doubt about that with the passion the boys have. I’m sure we will come out on the right side of it and learn from our mistakes in the summer.

“After working so hard for that win, the main ingredient is for the players to look after themselves in the coming week. The lads need to keep hydrated, get plenty of sleep and their diet has to be right.

“We only get to train together for three hours a week so it is down to how professional the individuals are off the pitch.

“I don’t think anyone is safe yet – there will be a lot of surprises in the next seven games – but if you look at the run-in, we are playing everyone in that little bundle at the bottom.”

In a match that ebbed and flowed, three penalties from Dan Pollard proved decisive after both Lions and Clifton had taken advantage of some hesitant defending to register four tries apiece.

Pollard’s early kicks kept Lions in contention when Clifton had their noses in front before denying the visitors a bonus point with the last kick of the game.

He booted 15 points, while the Lions tries came from Scott Chislett, Dan Connolly, Jaryd Robinson and Ben Stevenson.

Lions: Pollard, Robinson, Edwards, Chislett, Connolly, Drake (Stevenson, 51), Hardcastle, Carrel (Featherstone, 62), Wilford, Manning, Brooks (Firetto, 60), Forrest, Peart, Grace, Hart (Hughes, 48). Unused sub: Veneroso.